Campus Box 7401/223 McKimmon Center

Raleigh, NC 27695

http://www.ncsu.edu/extension/sheltonleadership/

(919) 513-0148

(919) 513-0150

Agency’s Mission Statement

According to the website, the agency “aspires to be the ‘Leader of the Pack’ in the world, providing life-long leadership development. Through the General H. Hugh Shelton Center, the university integrates efforts to promote values-based leadership development. The mission of the initiative reflects the aspirations and strengths of multiple university leadership programs ‘to inspire, educate and develop values-based leaders committed to personal integrity, professional ethics, and selfless service.’”

My intake of this mission statement is that the Shelton Leadership program seeks to make today’s youth better leaders for the future. The program stresses five cornerstones to a great leader: honesty, integrity, compassion, diversity, and social responsibility. Young men and women from throughout North Carolina and the nation, attend the Shelton Leadership program.   As a previous participant of this program, I can testify that this program does, indeed, fulfill their mission statement. I feel that the staff truly wishes and wholly lives up to their mission statement, to make youths better leaders.

Agency’s Goals and Programs offered to Clients/People Served

This agency has three target audiences: university students, executive and community leaders, and pre-collegiate youth. The Shelton Leadership program is mainly for pre-collegiate youth. The agency offers a weeklong boarding experience that is packed with leadership exercises, learning, and even fun social events. Youths are served by a dedicated staff comprised of peer leaders, “Coach, mentor, trainer (CMT),” and adult instructors, all who are unpaid. The staff are not only teachers, but also friends and supporters. The Shelton experience’s goal is to make youths stronger leaders for tomorrow.  Program participants are given opportunities to demonstrate the skills they have learned throughout the camp. A secondary goal is to ensure that participants enjoy themselves. This program is not only a learning experience, but also a fun “summer camp.” There are night activities every day, from ice cream socials to dance parties.

Agency’s Impact on the Community

The impact this agency has made on the community is more internal than external. This program does not plant trees or raise money for the poor. Rather, it helps to improve society by creating leaders that are honesty, have integrity, are compassionate, embrace diversity, and have a sense of social responsibility. This contribution to the community is just as important as planting trees or raising money. Any youth who is dedicated and determined to become a better leader is admitted to the program. The agency molds and shapes these youths into better, stronger leaders that will directly benefit the community in the near future. Furthermore, participants directly benefit the community by being involved in a “social responsibility project” halfway through the week. This project directly helps the community because participants actively contribute to society, from cleaning the streets to helping the poor. Last year, program participants worked at a food bank and packed more than a thousand pounds of donated food. The impact this agency is, undoubtedly, significant to the community.

Volunteer Duties

First two weeks:

• Helping with various tasks around the office. Uncertain about the nature of the work at this point.

Week of Shelton Camp:

• Serve as a peer leader
• Act as a link between participants the instructors
• Act as a mentor to students
• Various duties, such as cleaning rooms, preparing leadership materials
• Attend meetings to benefit participants
• Various tasks